Electric storage heaters

Electric storage heaters use electricity to generate heat. They store this heat inside their core, which is often made from heavy clay blocks. 

Older storage heaters use input and output dials to control heat. The input controls the electricity – the higher you set it, the more electricity it will use and the more the heater will heat up at night.

The output dial controls the release of heat – the higher you set it, the quicker heat emits from the heater. If you set the output too high, the heater may run out of heat before the end of the day. 

For more information, read our guide on electric storage heater controls.

Some storage heaters also have convector heaters. These usually appear as a grill at the top of the unit. These give you a ‘boost’ to your heating, in case you run out of heat. Try not to rely on these too often, as for most people it’s cheaper to use the energy they’ve bought at cheaper rates overnight.

Electric storage heaters work with special electricity tariffs that provide cheaper rates at certain times of the day. The most common of these is known as Economy 7.

These ‘economy’ tariffs relate to a type of meter with two distinct electricity rates (or dual rate tariff). This means you get a cheaper rate during a certain period, usually overnight, when you can charge your heaters. You can also power an electric immersion heater in your hot water cylinder, if you have one. 

Electric storage heaters originally used two meters, separating the electricity you use for heating and hot water from the electricity you use for lighting, cooking and electronics. These two meters were then combined into a single meter with two separate readings. Now you can simply use a smart meter, which lets you access dual rate or smart tariffs with a single meter and fuse box. 

Economy 7 isn’t the only meter arrangement available, though. So, if you’re unsure, speak with your energy supplier to understand what meter you have and how they bill you for the electricity you use. 

If you live in Scotland and have more than two electricity readings, or don’t understand your metering or billing, it’s possible you have restricted meters.

Restricted meters have complex tariffs, often providing afternoon or early evening ‘top up’ cheaper rate periods in addition to an overnight period.

You can speak to Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice about this. 

Storage heating technology has improved considerably since storage heaters first came about in the 1960s. Storage heaters made after 2018 must meet stricter efficiency standards and come with better controls – although it’s still possible to buy older models. 

Upgrading to modern storage heaters could make your home more comfortable and save you money on your heating bills. Compared to older storage heaters, modern heaters: 

• Have higher heat retention. This means they hold heat for longer. Better home insulation slows the rate of heat loss from the hot core, meaning there’s more heat available to you when you need it.
• Can release heat more quickly when needed, sometimes using a fan to send out warm air.
• Generally come with improved heating controls, including an automatic charge control, thermostat and programmer. 

The programmer lets you set the temperature you want the room heat up to and when. 

The automatic charge control works out how much electricity it needs to store to meet that programme. It only uses the amount of electrical charge it needs to meet the programme. 

The thermostat tells the heater to release more of heat if it detects the room is colder than you want it. It also stops releasing heat if it detects the room is warmer than you want it. 

These controls work together to ensure that once you set the programme, the heater can control itself without you needing to make any adjustments. Ask your installer to explain the controls to you.

Some modern electric storage heaters are in a special category known as high heat retention storage heaters. You may see these as recommendations in your home’s Energy Performance Certificate. These heaters:

• retain more heat than other storage heaters
• are well insulated
• have automated controls

You can find a list of high heat retention storage heaters on BRE’s Product Characteristics Database. 

No, a registered electrician should replace your storage heaters. Storage heaters are very heavy because of their heat-retaining core – some larger models weigh more than 150kg. Storage heaters also need a connection to the correct circuit in your home and are hard-wired to the circuit. Only a registered electrician should do this.

Also, storage heaters installed before 1974 may contain asbestos, in which case you should contact a specialist asbestos contractor who can handle and dispose of them safely. 

A trained installer will also be able to advise you on which size of heater you need. This is important because over-sized heaters cost more to buy, and might end up using more electricity than necessary. Meanwhile, a heater that’s too small may not deliver enough heat for your home. 

The installer might ask you to turn off the heaters you’re removing for 24 hours or more before the appointment, to let the core cool down enough for them to handle it. 

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